1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket for mounting an electrical component such as an IC package in which a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) chip is molded and electrically connecting to the electrical component, more particularly relates to a socket which can be suitably used for an operation test of an IC chip in an electrical component.
2. Related Art
In general, the socket used for an operation test of an IC chip in an IC package is provided with a plurality of contactors for electrical contact with the terminals of the IC package. The contactors are arranged and held on the socket body at the same pitch interval as that for terminals of the IC package. In order to hold the IC package and then make the terminals of the IC package and the contactors contact each other with a required contact pressure, the socket body of this type of socket is conventionally provided with pushing members for gripping the IC package or terminals projecting to the sides from the IC package with the contactors and operating members for making the pushing members push against or release the IC package.
For example, the socket disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-155790 is configured so that the lead terminals of the IC package are gripped by contactors and fixing members having a spring property. When mounting an IC package, the cover, which serves as the operating member, is depressed to push against part of the contactors and move the contact portions of the contactors down once and, at the same time, move the fixing members to the outside direction of the socket body. Next, the IC package is mounted, then the depression of the cover is released to return the fixing members to their original positions and, at the same time, release the pushing force against the contactors to return the contact portions to their original position. By this, the contact portions are pushed against the lead terminals of the IC package, the lead terminals of the IC package are gripped by the contact portions of the contactors and the fixing members, and the IC package and the contactors are made electroconductive.
Further, the socket disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 6-86348 is configured so that the lead terminals of the IC package are gripped by contactors and pushing portions of pushing members having a spring property. This enables release of the lead terminals of the IC package.
In a socket configured so that parts of the contactors are pushed against to make the contact portions of the contactors move downward once when mounting the IC package, since the contact portions of the contactors are displaced by the operating member, there is a danger of the contact portions and the lead terminals deviating in position from each other when pushing the contact portions of the contactors against the lead terminals. Alternatively, since the displacement is caused by pushing the contactors by the cover, there is a danger of occurrence of undesirable deformation in the contactors, which becomes a factor lowering the positioning precision between the contactors and the lead terminals of the IC package and detracting from the uniformity of the contact pressure.
On the other hand, in a socket configured to push pushing members having a spring property by a cover, that is, an operating member, to make the pushing members release the socket from the top of the package body or lead terminals, it is necessary to displace the pushing members from the forward position to the retracted position against the spring force of the pushing members, so a large operating force is required.